GOOD causes across Tynedale have benefited from cash injections of more than £27,000 thanks to the Co-op local community fund.

Cash generated every time customers swipe their membership cards in store, earning one per cent on own brand products, and from the 5p carrier bag levy was distributed to charities that had been nominated by members last Wednesday.

The scheme operates across all Co-op group businesses, including food stores, funeral care services and petrol stations.

In Prudhoe, over £18,000 was handed out. Dragon Tale Theatre Group was given £6,027, Prudhoe Community Band received £5,911 and the Prudhoe Community Workshop Trust, which helps run the much-loved East Centre in the town, received £6,154.

“I think everyone has been blown away by how much money has been given out,” said Jed Devlin, community fund lead for the Prudhoe area.

“The whole idea is to demonstrate the difference that can be made locally by all Co-op businesses working together and I think this demonstrates that.”

The cash donations are totted up and given out every six months, and over 4,000 registered charities across the UK have already benefitted to the tune of £9m.

In Hexham and Corbridge, Tynedale Stroke Club was presented with £1,713; Tynedale Talking Newspaper was given a boost of £1,600 and Corbridge Middle School PTA received £1,557.

Bellingham Co-op also handed over cheques totalling more than £4,000 to three local charities.

Bellingham Town Hall received £1,516, which will be used to refurbish the old tank room, which is planned to be let out as office or retail space.

Wark Sports Club received £1,400 to replace some of its picnic tables, which are currently falling apart.

And Bellingham Heritage Centre will use its cheque of over £1,400 to buy new hand driers for the toilets, as well as outdoor planting.

Manager of the Bellingham Co-op store, Amanda Corbett, said: “We are absolutely thrilled. We didn’t think it would be anywhere near that much.

“We are classed as a stand-alone store because we are so far away from anyone else, which means that every penny these charities get has been raised by Bellingham Co-op, and we haven’t teamed up with anyone else.

“To raise a total of £4,400 as a stand-alone store is something we’re quite proud of.”